Illinois is back in the NCAA tournament after sitting home last season.That's the good news.
The pessimist will see that the No. 7 Illini drew No. 10 Colorado in Austin as a Round of 64 matchup. If they win, they will likely face No. 2 Miami in the East bracket.
The Illini had been invited to only two of the last five NCAA tournaments. Since reaching the Final Four in 2005, they have won only two tournament games and never advanced past the second round.
This mission this year was to arrive. Illini players were handed wrist bands from new coach John Groce with the NCAA tournament start date.
And for the first time in years, they were wondering where they were going, not if they were going.
The goal now is to win in the tournament.
To advance, the Illini will need to improve their shooting. Through the last four games, of which they’ve gone 1-3, they have shot only 32.5 percent from the field while hitting just 28.1 percent of 3-pointers.
D.J. Richardson and Tracy Abrams especially need to relocate their shot, combining for 22.7 percent shooting during the span
Groce took Ohio University last season to the Sweet 16, falling in overtime to North Carolina.
If he can work similar magic with the Illini, Champaign’s mayor ought to give him a lifetime key to the city.
[email protected]
Twitter @sryantribune
The pessimist will see that the No. 7 Illini drew No. 10 Colorado in Austin as a Round of 64 matchup. If they win, they will likely face No. 2 Miami in the East bracket.
The Illini had been invited to only two of the last five NCAA tournaments. Since reaching the Final Four in 2005, they have won only two tournament games and never advanced past the second round.
This mission this year was to arrive. Illini players were handed wrist bands from new coach John Groce with the NCAA tournament start date.
And for the first time in years, they were wondering where they were going, not if they were going.
The goal now is to win in the tournament.
To advance, the Illini will need to improve their shooting. Through the last four games, of which they’ve gone 1-3, they have shot only 32.5 percent from the field while hitting just 28.1 percent of 3-pointers.
D.J. Richardson and Tracy Abrams especially need to relocate their shot, combining for 22.7 percent shooting during the span
Groce took Ohio University last season to the Sweet 16, falling in overtime to North Carolina.
If he can work similar magic with the Illini, Champaign’s mayor ought to give him a lifetime key to the city.
[email protected]
Twitter @sryantribune